Medicine, Sciences An agent or drug used to cause or induce the expulsion of phlegm from the lungs.
The disease was regarded as pneumonia so far advanced that suppuration seemed to have supervened; bleeding, blisters, expectorants, and cathartics diminished the symptoms; the pulse continued frequent, hard, full, but always regular.1833, R. J. Bertin, translated by Charles W. Chauncy, Treatise on the Diseases of the Heart, and Great Vessels, Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Blnachard, page 165:
The bedside table is littered with both OTC and prescription expectorants and pertussives and analgesics and Vitamin-C megaspansules[…]1996, David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest […], Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, page 60:
Medicine, Sciences Causing or assisting the expulsion of phlegm.
an expectorant preparation
‘Matchett says there’s old Mr P. who made all the money with ’is cought mixture—’ ‘Not Parkinsons ex . . . something?’ asked Jessamy. ‘That’s it,’ nodded Sarah, ‘ “Hexpectorant Posset”.’1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 84: